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sbergman

Veejay

Joined: Sep 12, 2007
Posts: 2144

Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 28, 2007 - 09:00 PM
Post subject: Unexpected Pleasures

I'm wondering if folks might share their unexpected pleasures - a street you stumbled upon that was particularly interesting, a restaurant off the beaten track, a shop worth writing home about, a museum not on the usual tourist route, a beautiful corner in an otherwise dreary section of town....

I'll offer Tuesday night's moon. Big and red and floating just above the horizon. It was wonderful.

CoffeeHawk_0
Board Buddha

Joined: July 14, 2005
Posts: 14380

Posted: Nov 29, 2007 - 08:30 PM

The best unexpected plaeasures I experienced in China were the ones where strangers went out of their way to help me when I was new here (and perhaps lost or confused). And, somewhat related, when you come across honest, innocent people, that really are happy to do a good job and your smile of thanks means more to them than a tip or a wage; seeing this sense of joy and satisfaction in other people can be a rarity. I had some really great moments here with some really good people. I hope they don't get caught up in the unbridled capitalism and greed and keep on 'keeping it real'.

tomnoddy_uk
Fire-eater

Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2904

Posted: Nov 30, 2007 - 03:26 PM

My first day in Shanghai was Dec 2004. I arrived in a freezing cold down pour by bike. I had no down-town map, only an old copy of a guide book. I was hunting for the Captain Youth Hostel. I got lost and eventually ended up cold and shivering at the convenience store near the ferry terminal on the Puxi side.

I went in to the shop and pointed at the name of the hostel in Chinese and shrugged my shoulders. The shop keeper gave me a blank stare. The next customer, also a cyclist, also drenched, came in and struck up a conversation with the shop clerk.

After a few mins, he came to join me outside, took the book of me, then pointed at his bike and urged me to follow him. I did. We cycled up the wrong side of the road, in to the heart of Yuyuan gardens and back out again. After one hour of cycling in the rain, we turned a corner and we were there. He looked up at the Captain hostel sign and pointed - his face was blank. I burst out in smiles and 100 thank yous.

He spoke no English and I no Chinese yet we had had a conversation for the past hour, I presumed he was asking me the name of the place. So I answered Captain Hostel in a funny accent - funny accents make you think that foreign language speakers understand you.

I didn't know how to express my gratitude, so I offered him some money - I was that greatful. He refused, left me to check in, then turn around and cycled off.

When ever I get frustrated with some of the Chinese here in Shanghai this memory reminds me that not everyone is an ass. Indeed, I can not imagine generosity even approaching this occuring back in the UK.

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sbergman

Veejay

Joined: Sep 12, 2007
Posts: 2144

Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 30, 2007 - 06:27 PM

tomnoddy_uk, Thanks for this story. My day started with finding lice on my childrens' heads and ended with witnessing a fatal car accident - with no one moving to help. Your story was just the tonic I needed. Thanks.

dr3x320

Rocker

Joined: Nov 21, 2006
Posts: 637
Location: Boston + Pudong
Status: Offline

Posted: Dec 01, 2007 - 03:28 AM

3 Years and still waiting for mine, I'll keep ya posted =\.

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Lotta

Rocker

Joined: Oct 26, 2006
Posts: 690

Status: Offline

Posted: Dec 01, 2007 - 07:56 AM

I had an experience with a bus driver who went to great lengths to return to me One Yuan. Story here :
http://www.shanghaiexpat.com/community/index.php?blog=27
Its a mixture of unexpected pleasures and shocking experiences - living in shanghai ! Smile

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Adam7

Rocker

Joined: May 11, 2004
Posts: 759

Status: Offline

Posted: Dec 02, 2007 - 05:39 PM

Anyone that has been here more than a month should have a dozen of these stories. If not you don't get out much. I have enough to fill a book, some funny, some touching some immensely sad.

For all it's negative aspects - and man there are a few - China is still full of beauty and pleasure.

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tomnoddy_uk
Fire-eater

Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2904

Posted: Dec 11, 2007 - 07:58 PM

sbergman wrote:

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"Eight minutes past the hour here in Belgium - and presumably eight minutes past the hour everywhere in the world." Murray Walker

CoffeeHawk_0
Board Buddha

Joined: July 14, 2005
Posts: 14380

Posted: Dec 11, 2007 - 10:10 PM

this thread should not be this short.................

sbergman

Veejay

Joined: Sep 12, 2007
Posts: 2144

Status: Offline

Posted: Dec 11, 2007 - 10:19 PM

I agree. This strayed a bit from my recent intention but since it's become a list of unexpected kindnesses, here's one -- the other day my husband went to the market to buy a few jackets to send for a clothes drive for children in Anhui. When the market vendor found out what he was doing, she slashed the prices.

jzzzzzzz

SuperStar

Joined: July 07, 2006
Posts: 1378

Status: Offline

Posted: Dec 13, 2007 - 01:32 PM

Soon after I arrived here I was chopping vegetables in my kitchen, preparing dinner. I managed to stick the knife straight into my left index finger and the blood was gushing! Anyway, like a typical bachelor, I was completely unprepared for any kind of home injury so dashed out to the nearest shop opposite my apartment building. The kind shopkeeper bandaged it for me, gave me spare plasters and refused to take any payment.

Ever since then I buy my fruit and often beer from her or her husband and 18 months later they still give me something for free every time.

hautumncloud
LoopKicker

Joined: Nov 04, 2006
Posts: 910

Posted: Dec 13, 2007 - 05:18 PM

The first week my part time ayi came to work, she brought with her a pair of home made slippers. I looked at the design as it was interestingly crocheted, very detailed and asked her about it. The following week, she came with a pair of pink brand new crochet slippers for me Smile

I offered her money but she refused.

darna!

Raver

Joined: Aug 07, 2007
Posts: 468
Location: sa banda doon
Status: Offline

Posted: Dec 13, 2007 - 06:14 PM

my friend took me for a foot massage. i'm going back to that place.

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hautumncloud
LoopKicker

Joined: Nov 04, 2006
Posts: 910

Posted: Dec 15, 2007 - 09:04 PM

Just drove by the A9 toll and the attendant wave us pass....its FREE.....wow!

tnmom

LoopKicker

Joined: Mar 04, 2004
Posts: 916
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline

Posted: Dec 15, 2007 - 10:08 PM

You hit the lucky lane - my driver said that it's usually Friday afternoon that they make one lane free - he always jockeys for position in the line that seems to be moving unnaturally fast and can usually hit the right one!

sanjj

Reacher

Joined: Nov 01, 2007
Posts: 283
Location: Vancouver/Shanghai
Status: Offline

Posted: Feb 03, 2008 - 01:36 PM

"pleasure" is the key word.

Happy Chinese New Year to everyone. Haven't posted for quite a while.

Magnolia
Board Biatch

Joined: June 01, 2004
Posts: 31071

Posted: Feb 06, 2008 - 05:16 PM

This thread should definitely not be this short. I am sure practically everyone has experienced acts of kindness of random suprises in China that it somewhat makes up for the other frustrations.

Cannot even begin to think of all the times a random act of kindness as would rarely be seen in my home country (or perhaps it is seen, just not as notable) has been bestowed.

My local BOC was always crowded. Took forever and it is small branch that didn't have the number system or chairs. My foot was injured and in an aircast. The guards would make sure I was first in line, no matter how many other people were waiting because they knew it was difficult for me to stand.

My rent was paid very informally. The landlady would call and we would arrange a time for her to collect. I had set a time a few days before and had an long day and completely forgot it was the day to pay rent. The doorbell rang and I realized I had not gone to the bank. For some strange reason, my ayi had over 20K in her purse and paid the rent (I paid her back the next day). She was so happy to be able to help... and I have often wondered why she had so much money with her.

When I first arrived in town, I became hopelessly lost and a kind soul not only told me how to get home, he escorted me to the compound.

About a week after arriving, I had to meet a local friend and her husband at their home. It is in an area of town that I am still not familar with. I didn't speak any Chinese and handed the phone to the taxi driver so my friend could provide directions. Not being used to the sheer size of the compounds or the twisty-turny roads in them, he brought me to the address she had given. Perhaps seeing the bewilderment on my face, he parked the taxi, locked it up and walked me through the labrynth to her front door.

Miming was the only way I was able to communicate for a long time. When I lost my voice, it was no trouble to demonstrate the ailment to the pharmacist. When I needed drain cleaner, this proved to be more difficult. A shop assistant worked with me for over 30 minutes to try and understand what it was I needed.

I met one of my dearest friends here because we were both waiting for the subway in Minghang (back then there were no foreigners ever to be seen there). He just started talking to me and has been not only a wonderful friend but helped me out in more ways than I can count. Me being me, I don't speak with strangers very often and never initiate a conversation for the sake of doing so. Him, being him, decided to strike up a conversation and we chatted all the way downtown.

While not really an unexpected pleasure, per say, there is this super friendly begger who hangs out near the Beaver... he's been there for years. The reason I like him is because he actually has fun with people. The number of times I have watched him outside dancing and smiling at everyone... priceless.

I can't stand fast food but for a while, I used to have to trek about an hour outside the city to work in one of our factory offices. There was a McDonald's on the way and I would often stop because it would be the only food I had for the entire day. I don't eat eggs and after a few weeks of watching me remove the eggs from the breakfast sandwich, the staff would have a special sandwich waiting that had no eggs.

Seriously, I can't believe more people don't have these types of stories to share.

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CoffeeHawk_0
Board Buddha

Joined: July 14, 2005
Posts: 14380

Posted: Feb 07, 2008 - 10:20 AM

The best experience I had in China was on my 2nd business trip here. The events themselves were small things, but they were the right things happening at the right time. Just putting words here probably can not convey the real impact and depth of this experience. I hope everyone can experience something this genuine especially when the time is right.

The setting - my 2nd trip to China, me not being able to speak or read anything more complex than "ni hao ma", me alone in the outer area of Tianjin, and very hungry, it's dark. I was staying in a 4-star hotel that was half 4-star, half 0.5 star, and it smelled like Satan had crapped in the hallway. My frame of mind was still in the new-to-China mode, like 'holy crap, I'm on the other side of the planet!' thing, "where are all the 'commies' with their machines guns?". I was on the last 2 days of an intense 2 week trip (first time negotiating with a Chinese customer, etc), I was so ready to go back home, if you know what I mean, and this was my first night without a chaperone.

The restaurants in the hotel were all empty so I figured that was a bad sign since the hotel seemed to be reasonably occupied. So, I started walking outside, I spied a KFC, and too many dark streets with few lighted businesses. I was not going give-in and go to a KFC of course. After another 30 minutes I found a strip of about 3 restaurants. By then I was a bit nervous and just freaked out about the whole being in such a different country thing, and ignorantly dismayed about not finding and signs in English that included the words food, eat, restaurant, etc.

I finally sucked it up and just walked into a place and hoped for the best. They sat me in an empty part of the restaurant. The floor was raised and it was by the front windows, this part of the restaurant was much nicer than the rest. Just below the raised section was a table of 4 scruffy looking locals who had piled up so many empty beer bottles and cigarette butts that you could no longer see the table or the remains of their food. I think they were sneering at me. I was still wearing my tie and jacket. Look up "conspicuous" in the dictionary and you'll see a picture of me sitting alone at a table for 8 in this restaurant.

I surveyed the rest of the restaurant. It appeared to be a mom and pop place, with mom and pop over in the corner keeping an eye on things. Fish tanks along one wall, about 5 of 20 tables occupied, and me, having just been given a small bowl of peanuts and a pair of chop sticks by what may be the bubbliest 12 year old girl in China. Cute as a button, she was probably 16 but I could not tell and she looked more innocent than a puppy on Christmas morning. She was being watched over by what was probably her older sister from a couple of meters away. Now is a good time to point out that I did not know how to use chopsticks. I also did not know if the small dish of liquid that was placed in front of me was tea or a finger bowl. "Holy sheet, I'm screwed" were the only words going through my brain, over and over and over. Luckily for my state of nervousnesses, just as I began to haphazardly toss peanuts about the table top, the young girl and a boy began to clear the other 7 table settings, while the militant looking older sister scrutinized everything. "Oh great, what the hell am I doing here, I should have gone to KFC".

The young girl was hovering next to me now. The second I layed down the chopsticks, probably looking more sheepish that I care to admit, she cleared away everything in front of me and began setting up a western set of plates and utensils. I had traveled around the world before a bit and have been in countless 'new' situations, but for some reason I was actually flustered and freaked out here. I knew they could see it too which did not help my frame of mind.

I looked up, and the first thing I saw was this young girl's face. She now had the intensity of someone taking a final exam in college. She was placing every utensil with the care and accuracy of a heart surgeon. Her intensity was awesome. After she finished, she studied the layout (8 pieces) and then adjusted a couple of pieces by just a half a millimeter to ensure everything was perfectly straight and spaced. She then looked down at her work and produced a smile of real satisfaction. I was mesmerized. As she stood there I felt I had to say something....so I mustered up a smile and said "wow, that's perfect!".

I swear she lit up like a Christmas tree It was if she was going to explode with joy. She became so giddy she could barely stand still. Her militant sister, whom I previously suspected was carrying a maching gun behind her back, smiled like a farm girl after a bountiful harvest. Mom and Pop sprung to life over in the corner and immediately came over as did a couple other servers.

"Oh shiet, what did I do?"

Everyone is smiling and patting the girl on the back, she's blushing and practically falling over herself. I'm smiling now and feeling good. Pop proudly hands me a menu. I crack it open........no pictures....no English. I'm sure my smile disappeared faster than a beer in Bougie's refrigerator. Before I could pop my eyes back in their sockets, Pop took the menu, and looking very distinguished yet humble, he motioned for me to follow him. He led me straight into the kitchen.

The second he opened the kitchen's swinging doors, about 5 cooks stopped stirring their pots and turned and all bowed and smiled at us. I'm back in Twilight zone mode, "just keep smiling, what's going on, what do I do?" I thought. Pop motions to me, I point to a couple of boiling pots and probably a dishwashing machine. The cooks chuckle.

Anyway, the rest of the night was fine, they served my a little bit of everything, the bill was ridiciously low, and the service was non-stop excellent. I had 3 servers for the whole night Smile

.

I know it was my frame of mind, or lack thereof, rather than any spectacular event here that made this meal so unforgettable. I must have been really frazzled, I was not myself (which is very rare), but that these people recognized that and did everything they could to make me feel good is I hope something that happens sometimes here to any traveler when they really need it.

Some contrasting experiences since then maybe make this experience more memorable than the sum of events that actually took place would suggest, but, if you could have seen this girl light up, if you could have seen the humble and proper gentleman that the father was, it really was a life time memory for me.

Cheers.

zanderion

Talker

Joined: Jan 29, 2008
Posts: 110

Status: Offline

Posted: Feb 07, 2008 - 05:34 PM

Magnolia and Coffee,

Some great stuff there. Thanks for the fuzzy feelings. Very Happy

EnnesX

Reacher

Joined: Aug 03, 2007
Posts: 206

Status: Offline

Posted: Feb 15, 2008 - 01:54 PM

a bus packed to the point where the last couple people trying to force themselves in were bopped back out due to recoil

MrInvisible

Talker

Joined: Feb 28, 2005
Posts: 83

Status: Offline

Posted: Feb 18, 2008 - 03:28 PM

One unexpected pleasure happened at my local massage parlor...even though I insist on only a massage the girl unexpectedly gives me other pleasures, so I keep going back!

CoffeeHawk_0
Board Buddha

Joined: July 14, 2005
Posts: 14380

Posted: Feb 18, 2008 - 03:48 PM

As a semi-regular customer at a local coffeeshop, they sometimes give me a free piece of Cheesecake.

Michael

Moderator

Joined: Mar 22, 2002
Posts: 5274

Status: Offline

Posted: Feb 29, 2008 - 09:26 AM

I once went the Post Office to mail a package. Of course there was a crowd at the counter and people pushing in to get their stuffed processed. Of course, being new at the time, I did not understand that this is the way it worked. One local women noticed me pondering, grabbed my package out my hands, and fought her way to the front and put it right on the scale and pointed to come take care of it. It was amazing.